Bringing our new boat to Glasson from Plymouth - July 2003Alan Round |
Click on small photos to see full screen picture. All photographs are by the author, Alan.
The summer of 2003 will probably be remembered as one of long sunny days, gentle breezes and warm starry nights - in fact ideal holiday and sailing weather, except that is, for the last week in July if you happened to be sailing around the West Country, Bristol Channel, and the Irish Sea!
Having found and bought a new boat - a Sadler 26 in Plymouth, and co-opted brother-in-law Colin to help sail it as far as North Wales - we were looking forward to a leisurely cruise around the Devon and Cornish coast followed by wife Sue and sister Barbara by car, and at the same time renewing acquaintances with some of our nautical cousins in those parts. (I had two uncles more discerning than the rest of the family who migrated to Cornwall many years ago who spawned seven cousins and second cousins who all became sailors or fishermen!)
The plan was to spend a few days at the Mayflower Marina in Plymouth to check
out the boat and do what was necessary to ready it for the voyage. Due to sorting
out the almost unbelievable modifications made by the previous owner - the wiring
which would have been more suitable for a caravan or a hi-fi studio with holes
drilled everywhere in the inner skin and looms of unlabelled and disconnected
cables festooned around the cabins - it took a lot longer than anticipated.
In the end, time being of the essence, we sailed without being able to complete
all the work I would have liked, but a 'sea -trial, on the 23rd proved that
the essentials - engine, sails, new Dsc/VHF, all worked, although the sacrificial
strip on the genoa tore in the gusty conditions which delayed us another 12
hours whilst it was repaired.
| The weather had of course been pleasantly warm and sunny whilst in the marina, but the sea-trial, which coincided with a visit of the Queen to review 'the Fleet' in Plymouth Sound should have told us something! A 21 gun salute and 'sailpast' of seven or eight warships and a multitude of small craft including 'Sea Otter' went spectacularly well, but as a fascinating flypast of naval aircraft ancient and modern came into sight so did the forecast change in the weather. The second half of the formations disappeared in squalls of rain, and we quickly donned waterproofs - not for the last time! | |
A short sail to Cawsand and back to the marina for the final time also showed that the compass was useless. It had lost some fluid, and under power rotated dizzily. Unfortunately we hadn't time to replace it, but should be able to rely our two hand held GPS's, and Colin had brought along his sextant to brush-up on the astral navigation he had not tried since his Yachtmaster Ocean. He needn't have bothered! As everyone knows for astral navigation you need the sun or stars - we were rarely to see either over the next week!
I am now convinced that there are basically three types of sailing weather, the most common being: 1) A wind of force 4 to 5 (occasionally 6) accompanied by squalls (locally 7) that blows from whichever direction you wish go. This frequently means that if you are in a hurry it is better to motor-sail, and unfortunately any overfalls - the skipper having wisely chosen a following tide - are against the wind, short and steep, very uncomfortable and wet! Type 2) The wind blows from exactly the opposite direction but the rough seas and tide are slightly offset, causing breaking rollers astern, which every time you glance astern or take avoiding action give you a thorough soaking. Because of the interminable rolling and danger of broaching it is often easier to stow the main and motor-sail! Type 3) There is no wind at all and you are forced to motor-sail. This anti-cyclonic weather synopsis usually gives annoyingly unbroken sunshine inland, but fog and light drizzle offshore, denying the opportunity to dry out from 1) and 2).
We slipped Mayflower Marina 24.07 at 1408 after some good evenings in Plymouth
with our spouses and a reunion with cousin Roger Round. Roger ex RN and Falklands
survivor of HMS Antelope - sunk by an Argentinean bomb, and who skippers a RNSA
Dehler 37 had accompanied us a few years ago on a trip in Sadler 34 to the Helford,
but couldn't make this one due to commitments including taking a bunch of Dartmouth
cadets on a 2 week sailing experience to Southern Brittany - what hard luck!!
Perhaps we could have done with him to operate the VHF a little later. As I
headed for Rame Head in the narrow fairway past the breakwater which dominates
Plymouth Sound, two loud blasts from astern alerted us to the fact that an extremely
large warship was rapidly closing on us. Fortunately Colin's experience translated
this as a signal that "I am changing course to port" (and not going to run you
down!). Apparently a call thanking him by radio was not required but Colin (RAF
rtd) suggested mischievously that we dip the ensign which would mean that they
would have despatch a member of the crew to the stern to dip theirs in return
and of course it was raining. We resisted the temptation, and an officer observing
us on the bridge through binoculars gave us a wave (of thanks?) as HMS Ocean
steamed by. The rest of the 'sail' to Fowey was uneventfully tedious with of
course a force 4 'on the nose' frequent showers, not a glimpse of sun, and 5
engine hours in the log book!
Perhaps we could have done with him to operate the VHF a little later. As I headed for Rame Head in the narrow fairway past the breakwater which dominates Plymouth Sound, two loud blasts from astern alerted us to the fact that an extremely large warship was rapidly closing on us. Fortunately Colin's experience translated this as a signal that "I am changing course to port" (and not going to run you down!). Apparently a call thanking him by radio was not required but Colin (RAF rtd) suggested mischievously that we dip the ensign which would mean that they would have despatch a member of the crew to the stern to dip theirs in return and of course it was raining. We resisted the temptation, and an officer observing us on the bridge through binoculars gave us a wave (of thanks?) as HMS Ocean steamed by. The rest of the 'sail' to Fowey was uneventfully tedious with of course a force 4 'on the nose' frequent showers, not a glimpse of sun, and 5 engine hours in the log book!
| We moored on a visitor's pontoon opposite the centre of Fowey at 2030. |  |
The lower part of the Fowey is sheltered from anything apart from strong south-westerlies. The 2100hrs forecast predicted the wind backing southwest, then cyclonic - force 6/7 (locally 8) accompanied by heavy rain. Colin suggested moving upriver - I thought we would be OK. Nearly as soon as we got into our sleeping bags it arrived and after an hours battering against the pontoon we upped and moved upriver. Of course the next morning was hot and sunny and we dried our saturated gear, slipped the 'free' mooring and breakfasted on two enormous Cornish pasties and set sail with the ebb (1214 hrs) for Falmouth. The weather front had passed through overnight, the wind was back to NW force 3 to 4, which as we were heading SW meant we could actually sail for 4 of the 6 hours. There were some fairly serious overfalls around Dodman Point, and with occasional showers from a now overcast sky we once again needed the oilies, but needless to say by the time (1817 hrs) we moored at Falmouth Marina, and met up with Sue and Barbara it had developed into a lovely sunny evening.
At 0530 next morning we were refuelled by an obliging Marina Duty Manager - also exRAF who remembered Colin from his flying days at Chivenor in North Devon, and we set sail for Penzance. For once the light wind favoured us (S.E force 0 to 1) and the seas were slight but of course it was necessary to once again motor. It was a nice change to have a calm sea and with the ebb tide we made rapid progress towards our first waypoint a cardinal buoy off the infamous Manacles - everything for once seemed to be going well, until that is that I looked behind and found we had lost the dinghy! We were about 2 hours out of Falmouth and with sinking hearts turned about and retraced our course. I remembered that I had moved the dinghy temporarily whilst refuelling and had obviously not secured it properly, but remember it was still there as we left the Falmouth Roads. I decided that if we didn't sight it within 10 minutes we would resume our course and buy a new one in Penzance - fortunately we spotted it a mile or so back through the binoculars but the episode lost us a good half hour.
We were taking the outside route round the Manacles, which was less interesting but as the visibility periodically dropped dramatically in rain showers was probably wise, particularly with little or no wind as a back up to sail out trouble. One of the dangers around this part of the coast is the multitude of crab pots some very poorly marked and the last thing we wanted was a rope round the prop in the increasing Atlantic swell. Looking at a historic map of Cornish wrecks hereabouts and round the Lizard into Mounts Bay shows them often lying 2 or 3 deep 3. on the reefs and along the rocky coastline - transiting it in reasonably calm seas you can only wonder what it must be like in a gale.
Apart from some fairly dramatic overfalls where the ebbing tide met the Atlantic proper the Lizard proved to be more like a pussy-cat, and we turned the corner into Mounts Bay just before midday, and wonder of wonders the rain stopped and we had the odd glimpse of warm but hazy sun.
From then on it was a day of pure nostalgia - whilst Colin had a nap, I emulated the crew of the only yacht that had followed us round the Lizard, dropped a fishing line overboard and was immediately rewarded by mackerel.
| Then St Michael's Mount appeared out of the haze and I realised that it was virtually 50 years ago to the day when I had last sailed, or rather fished in these waters - my much older cousin Jeff lived on the Mount, the historic home of the St Leven family and we spent many summer holidays there in the late 40's and early 50's. |  |
Quite early on I learned the value of 'transits' - following a bearing on the Mount against a background feature and following it until a headland towards the Lizard appeared, or a church at Penzance lined up with the harbour entrance. This way Jeff would locate with amazing accuracy a string of lobster pots well out in the bay, or a good mark for Pollack - without even recourse to a compass. I wondered whether his son Derek - still fishing from the Mount uses GPS today - I would certainly think so as when interfaced with autohelm it means a solo operator can process his fish or lobsters between marks. Unfortunately we didn't have time to visit Derek or his brother Peter who has a large crabber sailing out of Newlyn - Roger, the eldest of the Jeff's three sons had given us his call-sign to listen out for, but unfortunately due to ariel problems we had a very limited range on the VHF and if they were at sea we didn't hear them.
We anchored up in the outer harbour at Penzance met up with the girls, and also another long lost cousin and his wife. Although not another 'Round', being from my mother's side of the family, John has not broken with the tradition of a fascination for the sea - being a Fisheries Officer based at Newlyn, and a keen sailor. We took a day off to visit them on Sunday (27.07) - which being a shore day was sunny and warm.
We wanted a good forecast for the long trip across the Bristol Channel (150nm), and it was not all that bad - wind S/W 3 or 4 to 5 (locally 6 !), but with the usual rain showers. We slipped anchor at 0740 hrs on Monday morning and for once actually sailed westward at a cracking pace towards the Runnel Stone and Lands End. It did not last - we soon had to reef and have second thoughts as squalls reduced visibility. The original intention was to take the inside passage at the Runnel Stone, but the Pilot only advises this in calm weather due to uncharted wrecks!! The squalls passed and we sailed to seaward of the Runnel Stone, rounding Lands End at midday taking this time the inshore passage between the Armed Knight and the spectacular Longships Light with the luxury of a steady wind on the port beam, and an engine ticking over to help maintain steerage in the fast flowing twisting current.
Our spouses just round the corner at Sennen were contacted by mobile phone and took a couple of photos before motoring northwards to Cape Cornwall - which unfortunately they reached too late as the strengthening wind and northward running spring tide had taken Sea Otter well out of camera range. As they watched Sea Otter - the only boat visible, disappearing rapidly into the distinctly rough and gloomy Bristol Channel both wondered if that was the last they would ever see of us!
Fortunately it was not, but it was a long uncomfortable sail that day followed by a seemingly even longer night. A following and sometimes breaking sea necessitated constant attention and corrections by the helmsman, and to make it worse with no effective fixed compass we had to steer by the tiny display on the hand-held GPS. Not easy on a dark wet night!
Arriving at Milford Haven just after midday we thought our problems were over and moored on a visitors jetty awaiting 'locking in'. Unfortunately the wind rose to a near gale and as we prepared to move into the lock I reversed over our stern warp and fouled the prop! Half an hour's immersion in Milford's murky water was not the ideal way to relax after the night before, but I eventually freed the prop and we had a nights rest in the marina.
We 'locked out' next morning (5th day) at 0600 hrs after refuelling, and headed for the sea and St Georges Channel. Unfortunately the wind and seas had hardly abated as had been forecast, and horrendous overfalls at the entrance forced us back into the shelter of the Haven. We tried again at 0945 and got out, but as Colin had anticipated the delay meant we missed the tidal gate at the southern point of the South Wales Peninsular and spent the next three hours motor-sailing flat out making but 1 to 2 kts over the ground - thoroughly sick of the sight of the famous Cardinal and Bishops rocks. Eventually the tide slackened then turned and we passed Ramsey Island and were into Cardigan Bay at 1545 having probably only covered 30 nm in 10 hrs - only another 60 to Caernarfon! Needless to say by nightfall the wind dropped completely. We motored all night steering once again by the GPS, and dogged by a large brightly illuminated trawler that constantly crossed our track and turned on a reciprocal heading - at least it kept us occupied and semi-awake!
Dawn was never so welcome. We reached our next waypoint off Hellsmouth at 0730 (on the 31st) and turned north east when clear of Bardsey Island. The wind strengthened steadily to a forecast 4 from the southwest but unfortunately didn't know when to stop. With full sail and a spring tide we had were soon racing along the north side of the Lleyn Peninsular, and at one point Colin said the GPS was registering 12kts OTG - just before we broached! We needed to make all speed to make the tidal gate at Abermenai - but this was a bit much and we reefed.
Due to the earlier delay in leaving Milford Haven we were indeed late at Llanddwyn Island -on the approach to Abermenai, and the sight of only one boat - a large Moody battering its way out to sea, where there are usually fishing boats and yachts a plenty, was a little daunting. The channel is not easy to see in rough conditions, but we gingerly negotiated it, stowed the sails and motored the last mile or so to the narrows below Abermenai. Here we were greeted by standing waves as the tide poured out of the straits that would have delighted 'white-water rafters', in the Grand Canyon.
Morris, in his North Wales and Irish Sea Pilot says the southern entry to the Menai should not be attempted in a south-westerly in anything over a force 4, and not later than HW + ½ hr - believe it!! The middle of the channel was not an option, but along the eastern bank below Fort Belan it looked a little less daunting and having previously fished the Welsh shore I knew the gravel bank shelved steeply into deep water. We crabbed our way through the overfalls, and sure enough were able to make good progress up the lee shore within yards of the bank with 2 to 3 metres under the keel. In fact it was virtually a backwater until we reached the neck under the Fort cannons where we met the full force of the current and progress relative to the nearby bank ground to a halt! Fortunately the wind and waves at this point were not as bad and with a following wind we were able to partly deploy the genoa and creep through the narrows with the GPS showing a heady 1 to 2 kts over the ground.
Above Abermenai it was a different world, and we reached Caernarfon under full sail minutes later to be re-united with wives, and the Glasson SC boats on the summer cruise.
| Relaxing in Red Wharf Bay after passing through the Menai Straits |  |
For the rest of the stay in North Wales the weather was of course hot and sunny, until that is the morning of departure for Glasson which dawned cool, foggy and windless.
12 hours later motoring into Piel (we missed the tide for Glasson by fruitlessly waiting for the fog to clear) I began to wonder if we had bought the right boat! Totting up the statistics from the log showed we had covered over 450 nm since leaving Plymouth, and this had taken 97 hrs at sea of which 62 were motored or motor-sailed. Average speed was just over 4.5 kts! Should we have put our money towards a turbo-powered floating gin-palace much favoured by retired bank managers? We would have been home in a fraction of the time and kept dry and warm - but then we would have missed all that fun! Fun - surely things can only get better, and at least the boat (and motor) proved itself!
Alan Round